Am I just not progressive enough to understand this?

[ripcord]

At lunch today somehow the conversation got onto the subject of Roman Polanski and two people said they didn't agree with his raping that girl but they understood that artists require some leeway. They said enlightened and progressive people understand that genius is flawed and look at the incredible gifts of art he has given the world. They tried to get me as the only other self professed progressive to support them and when I wouldn't I was told I just couldn't see the truth and should try to see things from the other side. I'm sorry his wife was killed by the Manson family but I will never understand what he did with that 13 year old girl, now where do I turn in my membership card?

[Matrosov]

1. No, you're normal

Some whack jobs simply try to excuse the inexcusable and then call it "open minded"

[Scootaloo]

2. There's a line between "progressive" and "pretentious asshole"

The people you were talking to are about two states over that line.

[bigwillq]

3. Congrats on 400 posts!

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. Heh heh heh

Subtle.

[markpkessinger]

10. +1 n/t

[ripcord]

4. I am really glad to see these replies

I know I'm not the most liberal minded person on these boards, in fact there are people who embarrass me but that is why I keep reading, hopefully I will become a better person.

[WinkyDink]

6. You eat lunch with perverts.

[markpkessinger]

7. This has nothing to do with being progressive or not . . .

. . . nor does it have anything to do with Polanski's creative genius. Being an artistic genius is no guarantor of being a decent human being, nor does being a great artist excuse a person from being accountable to the same laws as everyone else.

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. Straight to the recording of the lunch!

[markpkessinger]

9. Why do I get the distinct impression . . .

. . . that this OP was an attempt to bait DU-ers? Looks like a pretty standard, run-of-the-mill case of right wing trolling to me!

[Nye Bevan]

11. When a grown man plies a 13-year old girl with Qualudes and anally rapes her,

I don't really buy the "flawed genius" defense.

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. .

... I'm sorry. Just, no. Nope. Stop.